Automatic air-valve for internal-combustion engines.



A. L. WAGNIERE.

AUTOMATIC AIR VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPucAnoM FILED FEB. 21 1911.

1 ,301 ,340. Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST L. wnemnnn, or LOS ANGELES, camromvm. ASSIGNOR, BY mnsns assreivmnn'rs, To U. s. GRANT HIN'ION, or rnovmnncn, nno m AUTOMATIC AIR-VALVE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 11111222, 1919.

Application filed February 27, 1917. Serial No. 152,141.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Aoousr L. lVAoNInRn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Air-Valves for InternaA-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means provided in the air intake of internal combustion engines for regulating the admission of air to the intake manifold or vaporizing chamber, and is particularly adapted to be used in connection with hot air pipes such as are usually provided on modern motor vehicle engines or motors for conducting a supply of hot air from the vicinity of the engine exhaust manifold to the carburetor for the purpose of facilitating the vaporization of the liquid fuels, thus rendering it possible to use a fuel of low grade and relatively less expensive than the common gasolene.

A further object of this invention is to provide means whereby my improved air valve may be automatically operated for admitting a maximum quantity of'air by the vacuum created in the intake manifold when the pistons move downwardly in their cylinders, and fonautomatically closing the valveduring the intervals between the-pistono erations,

A irther object is to provide in the hot air pipe in which the .valveis located an annularspaoe surrounding the valve of sufficient area as to insure the dischargeof the air and gases in the event of a baclefire from theJ engine, this space being always open to the atmosphere. Other obyects may appear as the descriptionprogresspsw Referring to the drawings, Figure =1 is a side elevation of a well known type of engitie' or motor for-"vehicles showang the general arrangement of the elements used in connection with my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the lower end of the hot air pipe with my improved valve in position therein. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same on the line 4-4. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the valve.

Similar characters of reference are used throughout the several views of the drawings and in the specifications for indicating similar and the same parts.

I am aware that patents have been granted for devices for regulating the admission of air to the intake manifold, but such devices are usually a part of the carburetors and are manually operated, whereas my device is automatic in operation and is not necessarily a part of the carburetor, though the same may be used in a carburetor in some cases to advantage. Inasmuch as reconstruction of the carbureters [to include my device will in most cases be necessary, it is referable that the same should be used in t e hot air pipe, as shown in the drawings, for in such case, the valve may be quickly attached to the pipe without in any way interfering with any other operating parts, thus rendering it capable of being removed at will for the purpose of cleaning or replacement.

In the drawings, 1 is the usual engine or motor which has the intake manifold 2 connected with the carburetor 3, and the exhaust manifold 4 for discharging the products of combustion. The carburetor 3 has an air inlet 5 to which is attached and from which extendsa hot air pipe 6 leading upwardly to a point in and terminating in close proximity tothe exhaust pipe 4, the pipe 6 being suitably attached to the pipe 4 and held at its upper end in such position that a supply of warm air from the vicinity of the exhaust pipe 4 may be drawn therethrough to the carbureter air-inlet 5. 'For'convenience in assembling, a union 7 may be provided in thepipe 6, thus separating the lower end 8 of'the pipe from the upper end. The lower end 8 of pipe G'may be suitably attached to the airinlet 3 of the carburetor, and in this end of thepipe I insert my improved yalve which comprises a slightly e l'ongated sleeve 9.hwhieli' fits the interior of the pipe end 8 and may "be pressed into position, and a valve member 10 which pivotally held in theair passage on a pm 11 extending through ears 12 and 13 on the valve member tion so that the ears on the member 10 will fit. between those on the sleeve 9, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, The sleeve 9 has a flange 17 at the end which engages the end of the pipe 8 and a lip 18 is cut and formed at the opposite or inner end of the sleeve, on the lower portion of the periphery, which extends upwardly into the air passage of the sleeve so as to engage and hold the lower portion of the valve member 10 against movement to the left, as shown in Fig. 2.

A T shaped lip 19 is formed in and cut from the upper portion of the perlphery of the sleeve 9 which extends downwardly into the air passage and is adapted to receive and hold the end of a spring 20 which is attached in a similar manner at the opposite end to a lip 21 formed on the upper portion of the valve member 10 at a point above the axis thereof. The tension of the spring 20 thus holds the valve member in the position shown in Fig. 2, for closing the air passage normally and with the lower portion of the member 10 resting against the lip 18 of the sleeve.

The valve member 10 is substantially smaller in diameter than the inner periphery of the sleeve 9 so as to provide an annular space around the valve to permit the discharge of the air and as from the pipe 8 in the event of a back-fire from the engine. It is obvious that when a vacuum is created in the intake manifold, the air passage in the carbureter and the pipe 8 in which the valve is located, the suction in ,the pipe will serve to open the valveflby moving the lower portion of thememberldto the right, as shown in Fig. 2', against. the tension vof the spring 20, thus permitting a quantity ofithe hot air from the vicinity. of the exhaust pipe 4 to be supplied to the intake manifold through the valve and the carbureter, and in the intervals between the piston strokes, the tension of the spring 20 serves to restorethe valve member 10 to normal positionsand in readiness for another operation. It will be observed that the, .valve 10 will be opened at. each downward stroke ofthe pistons and closed at tion of the engine. i

My improved form of valve,'as described, may be used in addition to or without the each upward. stroke thereof during the .operausual valves provided in the oarbureters, as the case may be, and serves as a perfect means of regulating the air supply to the carbureter for heating and thus more quickly volatilizing the liquid fuel used in the operation of the engine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. I11 a device of the character described comprising a removable cylinder, a shaft secured across the bore of said cylinder at right angles to the centerline and at one side thereof, a fla per valve rotatably mounted on said shaft, a lip formed from the material of said 0 linder and bent at right angles thereto within said bore, a 8 ring attached to said valve and interposed etween the same and said lip for normally closing said valve a stop formed from the wall of said cylin er and adapted to extend into the path of said valve, and a flange formed at the end of said cylinder for limiting the movement of the device when inserted into a carburetor intake 1 e. p In a device of thecharacter described, the combination with an engine having a hot air pipe extending therefrom and a carbureter connected therewith,.of an automatic air valve device comprising a cylindrical body adapted to be inserted into said pipe having a lip projecting inwardly from the wall of said body, a shaft disposed across the interior of said body, a fla er valve eccentrieally pivoted on said sha ft, a spring interposed between said lip and said valve and attached thereto for normally closing said valve, a stop struck from the'wall of said body and formed to extend into the ath of said valve for normally holding sai valve in closed position, and a retaining member formed at the end of said body for limiting the movement of said air valve device when inserted into said air pi e. r

Signed at Los Ange es, in the county of Los Angeles, and State-0f. California, this 14th day of February, 1917.. I i

AUGUST L. WAGNIERE. Witnesses: m= J. P. Bunnows, Jr

H. L. BEoKMAN. 1

Copies of thin patent may be obtained for five cents each, by adds-using the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

